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MARCH 1, 2010 EDITION |
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Gay Veteran tells Metro Star Military is ready for openly gay servicemen
By Michael W. Sasser
[Photo: Navy Lt. Everett “Earl” Morrow] someone serving with them was gay,” Morrow said. Morrow, who granted his first interview as an out veteran on the subject to Metro-Star, said that he has plenty of experience on which to base his experience. He had a successful Navy career for five years, leaving active duty in April 2008 in part because of the DADT policy. The push to repeal the policy recently prompted his desire to speak out on the subject. “When I watched the initial Senate hearing, I was offended by what the opposition said – that [gay servicemen] undermine units,” Morrow said. “The policy already does that. You can’t build unit cohesion because people can’t be honest. There are a lot of traditions in the military, a lot of social situations that really help create camaraderie. People bring their wives and girlfriends to events.” Morrow said that he believes most of the men with whom he served would have been able to handle his coming out – if it had been possible. It was not; and a promising career was cut short to the Navy’s detriment. “There were other reasons as well, but certainly the policy was a big part of it,” Morrow said. “I did not think there was any way for the two parts of my life to work together.” Morrow grew up in a small town in Connecticut, graduated high school and then opted for the US Naval Academy. He was keenly aware of his orientation from an early age but said he had no struggle to come to terms with it. Still he decided to head to the Naval Academy where he effectively had little social life for the following four years. “It didn’t occur to me what a challenge it would be being gay and going to the Academy,” Morrow said. Morrow’s social isolation continued for the bulk of his active duty career, which included periods ashore as well as serving on submarines. It was during the long time underwater that he had the opportunity to learn about the sensibilities of those with whom he served. “We had a lot of time to discuss just about everything and the subject of homosexuality came up,” Morrow said. “It really surprised me that most people said they really didn’t care.” Had he been able to serve openly, Morrow believes it would have helped serve the cause of understanding and acceptance. Once people find that they know someone who is gay, it is much more likely that they would be accepting. In many cases, Morrow said, prejudice is just a matter of unfamiliarity. Morrow said that he was pleased to see Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assert recently that servicemen were not being given the credit for acceptance that they deserved. Still, after years of being afraid of being identified and even though he was offered the exact position and assignment he most coveted with the Navy, he left active duty and today works in the medical equipment field in New York. He said that were DADT not in effect, it was likely he would have stayed with the Navy. “Ultimately DADT is discrimination,” Morrow said. “It fails to recognize that homosexuality is the same as race and sex. The military doesn’t recognize that. In general if that was recognized the policy would end tomorrow. As a consequence of that, the military is losing good people.” Today, Morrow remains in the Reserve. He’s a member of SAGALA -- Service Academy Gay & Lesbian Alumni -- and he participated in an off-camera interview for the documentary film “Out of Annapolis,” which is expected to premiere this spring, likely on the independent film circuit. Morrow said that gay men and women will one day be able to openly serve in themilitary – it’s only a matter of when. He said that the potential for the repeal of DADT is “as real” as it has ever been. “The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Secretary of Defense Gates…the highest military officers all agree…I think it’s come a long way,” Morrow said. “Since it was passed by Congress, it must be repealed by Congress. I think there are currently 180-something congressmen willing to effectively eliminate DADT. Hopefully it will be sooner than later.” -END-
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While President Barack Obama’s call for the end of the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (DADT) policy is stalled in bureaucratic neutral, one recent Navy veteran tells Metro-Star that he believes servicemen are ready for out comrades.
“Once the decision is made (to end DADT), I think the transition will be quick,” said former Navy Lt. Everett “Earl” Morrow. “Troops don’t get enough credit. They will be supportive of it. I’m not saying that there won’t still be homophobes. There are still racists and sexists out there.”
However, Morrow said, his experience taught him something about servicemen.